Journal of Artful Short Stories and Poems

Ellen Birkett Morris - "Blind Weaver" and "Back Street/New Orleans."

Blind Weaver

It’s the feel, you see.The feel of the yarn,light and fine orcoarse and heavy.The feel of the yarnas I pull it throughthe frame, gently for aSummer sweater, tightlyfor a woolen scarf.I see all I need toby the feel,don’t you see?

Back Street/New Orleans

Our patch, our patch, our patch of grassThe muddy part that never driedWe threw the ball to the blank skyThere we stood and played our gamesWe fought and schemed and rode the rangeThe clothes that flapped above our headsWashed so often they turned to threadsOne for all and all for oneOur wild play was never doneOur patch, our patch, our patch of grassPaid no heed to social class

Ellen Birkett Morris’ work was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2006 and has been published in numerous journals including Juked, The Pedestal Magazine Political Anthology, Alimentum, and The University of Iowa's Daily Palette. Her work is forthcoming in Gastronomica and Inscape.